Former state Sen. Dean Tran of Fitchburg indicted on ethics charges

FITCHBURG — A Suffolk County grand jury has indicted former Fitchburg state senator and Republican congressional candidate Dean Tran on two charges of violating state ethics law, the office of Attorney General Andrea Campbell announced Friday.

Tran, 47, was charged with two counts of using his official position to secure an unwarranted privilege. He is accused of having his Senate staff campaign for him on state time and on payroll.

The matter originated from a 2020 Senate Ethics Committee report. Tran was removed from his position as assistant minority whip in March 2020 and banned from interacting with his staff except through official emails.

The alleged campaign activities included organizing fundraisers, knocking doors and creating campaign mailers. They are said to have taken place during official work hours at the state Republican campaign regional field office in Fitchburg.

Tran narrowly lost his 2020 reelection bid to John Cronin of Lunenburg.

Tran has claimed the report was biased and filled with lies and hearsay. As a Vietnamese American, Tran also said he was the victim of racism by Senate Democrats.

In 2022, Tran unsuccessfully challenged U.S. Rep. Lori Trahan, D-Westford. His candidacy was marred in more controversy when he was indicted by a Worcester grand jury on charges separate from the Senate ethics investigation, including larceny of a firearm and misleading a police investigation.

Tran is accused of intimidating an elderly constituent in June 2019 into giving him her late husband’s firearms, making her sign a contract and giving her $1,500 in cash.

Tran pleaded not guilty and announced a lawsuit against the attorney general at the time, Maura Healey, alleging that the charges were brought back for political purposes and that Healey was trying to suppress Asian American voices.

His lawsuit was later dismissed.

Tran will be arraigned in Suffolk County Superior Court at a later date.

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Former Fitchburg Sen. Dean Tran indicted on ethics violation charges